The Central American conflict in the 1980’s started Mercy Sisters Pat Murphy and JoAnn Persch on their decades-long path to helping asylum seekers. Initially, they were part of a group of religious women who formed a public sanctuary and helped a family from El Salvador. This led the duo to open the Su Casa Catholic Worker in 1990 for Central American victims of torture. Their work as Mercy justice coordinators in Chicago in 2007 resulted in their forming the Interfaith Community for Detained Immigrants (ICDI); both Su Casa and ICDI continue helping immigrants to this day.

In October of 2022, Pat and JoAnn were contacted about an asylum-seeking family of six from Sierra Leone who needed housing in Chicago. The Sisters asked Associate members of the Chicago Mercy Justice Committee for help and they sprang into action. In no time, the family had a furnished apartment and a year to begin to get their feet on the ground. Soon, Pat and JoAnn were contacted about more families and the project became too big for the Justice Committee. Catherine’s Caring Cause (CCC), “Walking in the Footsteps of Catherine McAuley,” was born; it became a 501(c)(3) with a board including the two Sisters, four Associates, and two McAuley grads who help with legal and development issues. With the help of good people from many areas, CCC now supports nine families in eight apartments with more expected soon. Each family has a mentor who facilitates donations of food, furniture, clothes, and household supplies. Mentors help with getting the kids in school celebrating holidays, helping with medical and legal assistance, and everything in between. CCC began in response to a single call for help and grew into an entity of passionate, dedicated Mercy people, focused on the Critical Concern of Immigration.